Introduction to Music Technology (300-0-1)

Instructors

Samuel Robert Scranton

Meeting Info

RCMA Lower Level 121: Mon, Wed 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

Survey of music software, hardware, techniques, and tools for the professional musician. Topics include MIDI, audio recording and editing, mixing, effects, synthesis, and web publishing.

Registration Requirements

Registration requires department consent. Priority is given to majors in the Bienen School of Music. To be added to the wait-list for registration, click or copy/paste this link and fill out the application form: https://www.music.northwestern.edu/course-forms. You may apply for a place in any or all Winter 2027 sections of MUS TECH 300 with a single response at that link, but wait-list applications from previous quarters (for MUS TECH 259 or 300) do not carry over.

Learning Objectives

The student will need to be able to record/edit audio and MIDI files, create multi-track recordings, create personalized synthesizer patches, understand and deploy effects processing, make well-balanced stereo mixes, and upload audio to an online publishing platform.

Teaching Method

The course will be a mix of lecture and hands-on participation with ample time to explore class concepts at individual pace under instructor supervision.

Evaluation Method

Students will submit bi-weekly creative studies demonstrating key concepts. There will also be two larger, more open-ended projects (midterm and final), in which students create compositions that focus on techniques of their choosing.

Class Materials (Required)

Students must have a laptop installed with Ableton Live 12 Suite (https://www.ableton.com/en/shop/education/). A "rent-to-own" copy is available for $31.17/month.

Class Materials (Suggested)

Headphones, MIDI keyboard

Class Attributes

20th/21st c. Music Studies Elective
SoC Humanities and Fine Arts Distro
SoC Mathematics, Science, and Technology Distro